One of our favourite restaurants in the area Trattoria da Giggi on via Belsiana will tick all your boxes - excellent Roman cuisine at very reasonable prices, family friendly, popular with the locals and welcoming, friendly service.

Buon appetito!

And if you are looking to sample one of the best pizzas in Rome, head with the family to Pizzeria al Leoncino on via del Leoncino.

Again, basic decor, excellent food, very good value and very popular with the locals. Get there early at opening time to avoid the queues.

Same advice for Da Giggi - get there early to ensure a table!

Ancora un buon appetito!

Thanks, I've google mapped and noted your recommendations. They sound yummy. :)

They seem to be several blocks south of Piazza del Popolo, and we are staying north of there. Are there any restaurants north of the piazza? Seems they would be even more "local".

Having explored the "nooks and crannies" of Rome on the various times we have been there, I am not sure that there is anything much north of Piazza del Popolo apart from the mixed residential and commercial area that it is.

We did find a small bar next to an automobile repair garage that eventually served us a couple of beers!

Enjoy!

hey ellonway,

Nothing wrong with enjoying a beer while watching a car get an oil change! :) Thanks for the reply.

if you give us a better idea of "north of popolo" (maybe a street), we can make give better recs. There are some nice places north of Popolo!

hi wine gal,

Our apartment is on Via Cesare Beccaria (near Via Flaminio), which I show to be two blocks north of the Piazza and the Flaminio metro stop.